The Birds

Before leaving the motel we repacked all our cases for the flight back to Auckland. We then weighed mine and Ian's and re repacked them as the weight limit for an internal flight (20kg) is substantially less than the international one (30kg). Eventually we were good to go and set off to the re-start Mall. This is an area in the centre of Christchurch where containers are being used as shops during the rebuild. We walked around and looked round quake city, an exhibition giving details and accounts of the earthquake. 

We then drove out to Willowdale, a wildlife park near the airport where we saw tuatara and kiwis. The kiwis particularly delighted us as we have little chance of seeing them in the wild. They are a lot bigger than you think. We also saw kea, the birds we missed in Arthurs pass.

We had a small amount of time left so we found a nearby park, called the Styx river reserve, and had a nice walk. 

We dropped the Rav 4 off no problem and apex car rentals (highly recommended ) took us to the airport. Internal flights are so easy. We were allotted the very front row of the plane. At every stage from checking in to boarding we were asked if we were ok with the added responsibility of sitting in the emergency exit row, every time we said we were ok, and every time Kathy said she was not ok but had been swayed by everyone else. We left on time and arrived in Auckland just over an hour later and fifteen minutes early. We phoned apex car rentals ( even more highly recommended) and a nice man collected us and took us to our Nissan wingroad. We were hungry by this time so we stopped off for a Burger King that Kiki, our sat nav, conveniently led us to. We then threw Vicky out at Unilodge and booked into the waldorf celestion where we are to stay the next five nights.